HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Warriors nudge past Hosanna Christian

Clyde Verdin Jr. Sports Correspondent

Published: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 10:49 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 11:38 a.m.

HOUMA -- With about 3:20 left in the third quarter, Houma Christian forward Jarred LaFont was doing his best to keep his teammates focused on retaining its four-point lead over the visiting Hosanna Christian Academy Blazers.

However, LaFont was cheering his team on from the bench as three quick fouls in the first half and two in the third quarter put one of Houma Christian’s best players on the sidelines for the rest of the game.

Luckily for the Warriors, Josh Crowdus took control of the game and along with his game high 13 points, helped lead the Warriors past the Blazers for a 39-36, nondistrict victory.

"Our young players really stepped up tonight in a big way," Warriors coach Freddie Frye said. "I always tell them that they when their opportunity comes knocking, they have to be ready to step up and answer the call."

Houma Christian (14-8) forced the Blazers (14-17) into 21 turnovers throughout the game and Hosanna Christian coach Randy Montalbano Jr. credits the Warriors for protecting the ball so well.

"Plain and simple, you have to hold on to the ball, and we didn’t do that at all tonight," Montalbano said. "Houma Christian just wanted it a little bit more than we did."

It was a tale of two teams throughout the game as the Warriors began the game leading by six when Hosanna Christian stormed back to tie the game at six before taking a two-point lead to end the first quarter.

The rest of the game was much like the first as both teams would trade time having the lead before Houma Christian maintained a three to four-point lead late in the third and fourth quarters.

"One of the main things we tried to do in the game was to keep the players in situations we knew they would succeed in," Frye said.

Fouls also played a pivotal role in the game as both teams committed a 47 with a combined five players fouling out of the game.

At the free-throw line, the Blazers went 11-of-19 and the Warriors shot 16-of-33.

Eight of Crowdus’ 13 points came at the free-throw line.

As the start of the District 7-B season approaches, Frye knows his team will have to be prepared for the three of the top ten teams in the state in Class B in Midland, Centerville and Episcopal School of Acadiana that are all in his district.

"Us coaches can talk until we’re blue in the face about what the players need to do, but we plan on showing them the things that they cant necessarily see in the game to get them prepared for what is ahead of them," Frye said.

HOSANNA CHRISTIAN 53, HOUMA CHRISTIAN 12 (GIRLS)

It took the Lady Warriors six minutes to score their first points of the game, but by that time the Lady Blazers had already scored 12 points in route to a 53-12 victory over the Lady Warriors in Houma.

"We have a really young team that is still learning the game," Houma Christian coach Dawn Henry said. "In order to play better, the team will have to focus on the fundamentals and go from there."

Callie Woest of Hosanna Christian led all scorers with 12 points and Sarah Day led the Lady Warriors with six.

<p>HOUMA -- With about 3:20 left in the third quarter, Houma Christian forward Jarred LaFont was doing his best to keep his teammates focused on retaining its four-point lead over the visiting Hosanna Christian Academy Blazers.</p><p>However, LaFont was cheering his team on from the bench as three quick fouls in the first half and two in the third quarter put one of Houma Christian’s best players on the sidelines for the rest of the game.</p><p>Luckily for the Warriors, Josh Crowdus took control of the game and along with his game high 13 points, helped lead the Warriors past the Blazers for a 39-36, nondistrict victory.</p><p>"Our young players really stepped up tonight in a big way," Warriors coach Freddie Frye said. "I always tell them that they when their opportunity comes knocking, they have to be ready to step up and answer the call."</p><p>Houma Christian (14-8) forced the Blazers (14-17) into 21 turnovers throughout the game and Hosanna Christian coach Randy Montalbano Jr. credits the Warriors for protecting the ball so well.</p><p>"Plain and simple, you have to hold on to the ball, and we didn’t do that at all tonight," Montalbano said. "Houma Christian just wanted it a little bit more than we did."</p><p>It was a tale of two teams throughout the game as the Warriors began the game leading by six when Hosanna Christian stormed back to tie the game at six before taking a two-point lead to end the first quarter.</p><p>The rest of the game was much like the first as both teams would trade time having the lead before Houma Christian maintained a three to four-point lead late in the third and fourth quarters.</p><p>"One of the main things we tried to do in the game was to keep the players in situations we knew they would succeed in," Frye said.</p><p>Fouls also played a pivotal role in the game as both teams committed a 47 with a combined five players fouling out of the game.</p><p>At the free-throw line, the Blazers went 11-of-19 and the Warriors shot 16-of-33.</p><p>Eight of Crowdus’ 13 points came at the free-throw line.</p><p>As the start of the District 7-B season approaches, Frye knows his team will have to be prepared for the three of the top ten teams in the state in Class B in Midland, Centerville and Episcopal School of Acadiana that are all in his district.</p><p>"Us coaches can talk until we’re blue in the face about what the players need to do, but we plan on showing them the things that they cant necessarily see in the game to get them prepared for what is ahead of them," Frye said.</p><p>HOSANNA CHRISTIAN 53, HOUMA CHRISTIAN 12 (GIRLS)</p><p>It took the Lady Warriors six minutes to score their first points of the game, but by that time the Lady Blazers had already scored 12 points in route to a 53-12 victory over the Lady Warriors in Houma.</p><p>"We have a really young team that is still learning the game," Houma Christian coach Dawn Henry said. "In order to play better, the team will have to focus on the fundamentals and go from there."</p><p>Callie Woest of Hosanna Christian led all scorers with 12 points and Sarah Day led the Lady Warriors with six.</p>